48
2052 O’Neil Rd, Macedon NY 14502 Telephone: (315) 986-8090 Fax: (315) 986-8091 www.ankom.com Operator’s Manual Rev F 10/11/16

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Page 1: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

Warranty 5

Contact Information 5

Instrument Description 7

Safety Precautions 9

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment 11

Instrument Setup ndash Software 13

Instrument Software Functionality 17

Temperature Sensing 33

Operating Instructions 35

Troubleshooting 40

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning 41

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies 42

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis 45

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production 46

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications 47

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 5

Introduction

ANKOM Technology designs manufactures and markets instruments and support products used by analytical

laboratories around the world in the environmental agricultural biomass and food industries ANKOM

Technology can provide you with products for determining or monitoring detergent fibers dietary fibers fat

digestibility microbial fermentation (anaerobic or aerobic) and more

Committed to Total Customer Satisfaction ANKOM designs every product based on a thorough assessment of

customer needs

Congratulations on your purchase of the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System We are confident that this product

will effectively serve your needs

This manual will provide you with details that will help you achieve the best possible results

Please review the entire manual before you begin operating this product

Warranty

ANKOM Technology warrants the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System against any defects in workmanship or

material for one year after the original date of purchase This warranty does not include damage to the instrument

resulting from neglect or misuse During the warranty period should any failure result from defects in

workmanship or materials ANKOM Technology will at its discretion repair or replace the instrument free of

charge

Extended warranties are available upon request

Operating Temperature 5-60degC

Contact Information

ANKOM Technology is committed to your total satisfaction and is therefore always available to help you get the

most from your ANKOM products We are also very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have to

help us improve

For any questions or suggestions regarding your instrument please contact us at

Telephone (315) 986-8090

Fax (315) 986-8091

wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 2: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

This page intentionally left blank

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

Warranty 5

Contact Information 5

Instrument Description 7

Safety Precautions 9

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment 11

Instrument Setup ndash Software 13

Instrument Software Functionality 17

Temperature Sensing 33

Operating Instructions 35

Troubleshooting 40

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning 41

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies 42

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis 45

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production 46

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications 47

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 5

Introduction

ANKOM Technology designs manufactures and markets instruments and support products used by analytical

laboratories around the world in the environmental agricultural biomass and food industries ANKOM

Technology can provide you with products for determining or monitoring detergent fibers dietary fibers fat

digestibility microbial fermentation (anaerobic or aerobic) and more

Committed to Total Customer Satisfaction ANKOM designs every product based on a thorough assessment of

customer needs

Congratulations on your purchase of the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System We are confident that this product

will effectively serve your needs

This manual will provide you with details that will help you achieve the best possible results

Please review the entire manual before you begin operating this product

Warranty

ANKOM Technology warrants the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System against any defects in workmanship or

material for one year after the original date of purchase This warranty does not include damage to the instrument

resulting from neglect or misuse During the warranty period should any failure result from defects in

workmanship or materials ANKOM Technology will at its discretion repair or replace the instrument free of

charge

Extended warranties are available upon request

Operating Temperature 5-60degC

Contact Information

ANKOM Technology is committed to your total satisfaction and is therefore always available to help you get the

most from your ANKOM products We are also very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have to

help us improve

For any questions or suggestions regarding your instrument please contact us at

Telephone (315) 986-8090

Fax (315) 986-8091

wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 3: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

Warranty 5

Contact Information 5

Instrument Description 7

Safety Precautions 9

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment 11

Instrument Setup ndash Software 13

Instrument Software Functionality 17

Temperature Sensing 33

Operating Instructions 35

Troubleshooting 40

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning 41

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies 42

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis 45

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production 46

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications 47

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 5

Introduction

ANKOM Technology designs manufactures and markets instruments and support products used by analytical

laboratories around the world in the environmental agricultural biomass and food industries ANKOM

Technology can provide you with products for determining or monitoring detergent fibers dietary fibers fat

digestibility microbial fermentation (anaerobic or aerobic) and more

Committed to Total Customer Satisfaction ANKOM designs every product based on a thorough assessment of

customer needs

Congratulations on your purchase of the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System We are confident that this product

will effectively serve your needs

This manual will provide you with details that will help you achieve the best possible results

Please review the entire manual before you begin operating this product

Warranty

ANKOM Technology warrants the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System against any defects in workmanship or

material for one year after the original date of purchase This warranty does not include damage to the instrument

resulting from neglect or misuse During the warranty period should any failure result from defects in

workmanship or materials ANKOM Technology will at its discretion repair or replace the instrument free of

charge

Extended warranties are available upon request

Operating Temperature 5-60degC

Contact Information

ANKOM Technology is committed to your total satisfaction and is therefore always available to help you get the

most from your ANKOM products We are also very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have to

help us improve

For any questions or suggestions regarding your instrument please contact us at

Telephone (315) 986-8090

Fax (315) 986-8091

wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 4: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 5

Introduction

ANKOM Technology designs manufactures and markets instruments and support products used by analytical

laboratories around the world in the environmental agricultural biomass and food industries ANKOM

Technology can provide you with products for determining or monitoring detergent fibers dietary fibers fat

digestibility microbial fermentation (anaerobic or aerobic) and more

Committed to Total Customer Satisfaction ANKOM designs every product based on a thorough assessment of

customer needs

Congratulations on your purchase of the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System We are confident that this product

will effectively serve your needs

This manual will provide you with details that will help you achieve the best possible results

Please review the entire manual before you begin operating this product

Warranty

ANKOM Technology warrants the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System against any defects in workmanship or

material for one year after the original date of purchase This warranty does not include damage to the instrument

resulting from neglect or misuse During the warranty period should any failure result from defects in

workmanship or materials ANKOM Technology will at its discretion repair or replace the instrument free of

charge

Extended warranties are available upon request

Operating Temperature 5-60degC

Contact Information

ANKOM Technology is committed to your total satisfaction and is therefore always available to help you get the

most from your ANKOM products We are also very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have to

help us improve

For any questions or suggestions regarding your instrument please contact us at

Telephone (315) 986-8090

Fax (315) 986-8091

wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 5: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 5

Introduction

ANKOM Technology designs manufactures and markets instruments and support products used by analytical

laboratories around the world in the environmental agricultural biomass and food industries ANKOM

Technology can provide you with products for determining or monitoring detergent fibers dietary fibers fat

digestibility microbial fermentation (anaerobic or aerobic) and more

Committed to Total Customer Satisfaction ANKOM designs every product based on a thorough assessment of

customer needs

Congratulations on your purchase of the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System We are confident that this product

will effectively serve your needs

This manual will provide you with details that will help you achieve the best possible results

Please review the entire manual before you begin operating this product

Warranty

ANKOM Technology warrants the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System against any defects in workmanship or

material for one year after the original date of purchase This warranty does not include damage to the instrument

resulting from neglect or misuse During the warranty period should any failure result from defects in

workmanship or materials ANKOM Technology will at its discretion repair or replace the instrument free of

charge

Extended warranties are available upon request

Operating Temperature 5-60degC

Contact Information

ANKOM Technology is committed to your total satisfaction and is therefore always available to help you get the

most from your ANKOM products We are also very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have to

help us improve

For any questions or suggestions regarding your instrument please contact us at

Telephone (315) 986-8090

Fax (315) 986-8091

wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 6: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 6 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 7: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 7

Instrument Description

General Description

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is designed to measure the kinetics of a microbial fermentation in an

automated fashion by monitoring the gas pressure within multiple Modules and remotely recording the data in

computer spreadsheets Equipped with a temperature sensor each Module can also monitor the temperature of its

environment The system can include up to 50 individual Modules that communicate information to a computer

using radio frequency (RF) transmission From the computer interface the operator can control numerous variables

such as data recording intervals and the automatic release of pressure through internal valves in each Module

Examples of Instrument Applications

Current and potential applications for the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System include but are not limited to Rumen

Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity Biomass-to-Fuel Biodegradability Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) Soil Quality and more

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 8: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 8 Rev F 101116

System Components

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System Base Kit includes the following components

5 ndash Modules (part RF1)

5 ndash Glass Bottles (bottle types to be chosen by the customer) ndash there is one Glass Bottle for each Module

1 ndash Reference Module Zero (ambient pressure only ndash part RF5)

6 ndash Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) ndash 1 in each Module and 1 in the Reference Module Zero

1 ndash 10 Station Battery Charger (part RF25)

1 ndash Base Coordinator w USB Cable (part RF2) and antenna (part 7143)

1 ndash Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29)

1 ndash CD containing the Computer Drivers and Operating Software (part RF3)

1 ndash Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22)

2 ndash Luer Check Valves (part 7139)

2 ndash Male Luer Caps (part 7147)

5 ndash Bottle Gaskets (part 7074)

1 ndash Sythetic Grease (part RF41)

A Module connected to a Glass Bottle is referred to as a Module Assembly

Glass Bottles Modules Synthetic Grease Bottle Gaskets Reference Module Zero

Luer Check Valves with Caps

Antenna Extension Assembly

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

Battery Charger

CD with Operating

Software

USB Cable

Base Coordinator

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 9: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 9

Adding Modules

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System has a modular design that allows the user to increase or decrease the

number of samples tested The Reference Module Zero is used to monitor and record atmospheric pressure The

Base Coordinator is used to communicate with up to 50 Modules each programmed with a unique ID number and

system address If you have a system with less than 50 Modules more can be ordered to complete your system

When ordering additional Modules it is important to let ANKOM know what Module numbers you currently have

(for example 1-5) so that the new Modules can be programmed correctly for your system The Module number is

displayed on the Modulersquos label and on the chip plugged into the circuit board If your system is complete with 50

Modules and you would like to add more Modules an additional RFS Base Kit is required This second Base Kit

will communicate on a different network than the original It is possible to have as many as 5 Base Kits and 250

Modules in a facility

Each ANKOMRF

Gas Production System network requires a connection to a

unique laptop or desktop computer The computer does NOT have to be

dedicated to the ANKOM system

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are adding

Modules with temperature sensors to an existing system Existing Modules

can be upgraded to include temperature sensors Contact ANKOM for details

Safety Precautions

This system is designed to meet andor exceed the applicable standards of CE CSA NRTL and OSHA

WARNING For the 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth Glass Bottles never

apply pressure exceeding 10 psi while purging your system (eliminating

oxygen) or allow the pressure in the Bottles to exceed 10 psi (685 mbar)

during an experiment

For the 18 L wide-mouth bottles never let pressure exceed 1 psi

Always wear safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the

Modules

Using this system andor its components in a manner not specified by the manufacturer voids the warranty and may result in harm to the user

Please review the entire contents of this manual before you begin operating

this product

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 10: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 10 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 11: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 11

Instrument Setup ndash Equipment

Battery Connection

Before using your system you must connect the battery packs within each Module by connecting the male

connector on the battery pack to the female connector on the circuit board The locking tab must be facing the

adjacent white connector

Caution Damage to the circuit board and batteries can occur if the batteries

are connected backwards

Rechargeable batteries lose charge when not being used

Always charge your Rechargeable Battery Packs (part RF16) for at least 3

hours just prior to their use A fully charged battery when plugged into a

Module should read 67 volts or higher on the GPM software screen

Typically a fully charged Rechargeable Battery Pack should be able to power

a Module for at least 10 days under normal conditions (20-40degC GPM

settings of 1 minute Live Interval and 1 Valve Open sequence per hour)

Individual performance may vary depending on testing conditions Although

Modules will function properly battery packs may have to be recharged at

more frequent intervals when operating at lower temperatures When

running the system remember to check the battery voltage daily and change

the battery pack when the voltage decreases to 63 volts or lower Changing

the battery pack during the run will not affect the results

Temperature Control

The Module Assembly (includes the Module connected to a Glass Bottle) can be placed in a cabinet incubator or in

a shallow water bath to maintain appropriate temperatures

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or water damage

will occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF

modules with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the

electronics Instead use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and

control the temperature and evaporation

Battery Connection

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 12: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 12 Rev F 101116

RF Communication

Radio Frequency (RF) technology allows the Modules to be located away from the Base Coordinator without the

need for cumbersome wire connections Although the RF signal from the Modules can be detected at distances of

10 ft or more for the best signal reception it is recommended that you place the Modules (including Reference

Module Zero) as close as possible to the Base Coordinator If necessary it is possible to extend the antenna from

the Base Coordinator with an ANKOM Antenna Extension Assembly (Part RF29 shown below) This will allow

you to place the antenna closer to the Modules

To install the antenna extension follow the steps below

(1) Screw the Antenna Extension Assembly (the female part of the ldquoTrdquo fitting) onto the Base Coordinator

(2) Screw the original Antenna (part 7143) onto the Antenna Extension Assembly at the male part of the

cable

Antenna Extension Assembly (part RF29) connected to the Base Coordinator

1) When using the extension you should run the system with both antennas

connected as shown in the picture above The antenna closest to the Base

Coordinator will pick up the Reference Module Zero signal while the

antenna connected to the end of the extension cable will pick up the signals

from the modules

2) It is important to keep metal shelving or cabinets away from the Base

Coordinator and Modules to avoid interference with the component

antennas Metal may disrupt radio frequency and may cause delays in

system communications

T fitting

7143 Antenna

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 13: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 13

Instrument Setup ndash Software

Computer Software Requirements

To run the GPM software your computer must have the following programs

Windows XP or later

Microsoft Excel 2003 or later

Internet Explorer 50 or later

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

If not already loaded the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System installation program will install

MicrosoftNet

Windows Installer

You must run GPM software version 971 or greater if you are using Modules

with temperature sensors

Instrument Software Installation

To install your GPM software follow the steps below

(1) Connect the Base Coordinator to a USB port on the computer that will run the GPM software so that the

necessary drivers can be installed

(2) Insert the GPM CD into your computer After a few moments the following window should open

showing the contents of the CD

If the window above does not display automatically on your screen then open

My Computer on your computer screen (If the My Computer icon is not

already on your desktop you can access it via the button in the

lower left corner of your desktop screen) With My Computer open double-

click on your CD device icon to open the window above

(3) Double-click the Setup icon in the window above The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 14: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 14 Rev F 101116

The version number on this message box will correspond to the GPM

software version you are installing

(4) Click the Nextgt button in the message box above to proceed with the software installation The following

message box is displayed

(5) In the message box above put a check mark in the box () next to ldquoI accept the terms of the License

Agreementrdquo by clicking on the box

(6) Click the Nextgt button and the following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 15: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 15

(7) In the message box above the Destination Folder box shows the name of the folder path in which your

GPM software program will be stored If the name is not what you want it to be then type the name of

the folder or click the Browse button to go to the folder in which you would like to store this program

(8) In the message box above click the Install button If there is already a version of the GPM software

installed on your computer the following message box will be displayed Otherwise you will see the

installation begin in which case you can skip step 8 and go right to step 9

(9) To load the updated GPM software click the OK button The following message box is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 16: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 16 Rev F 101116

(10) When the message box above shows that the installation is complete click the Nextgt button and the

following message box is displayed

(11) If you want to immediately start the GPM software then ensure that a check mark () is in the box next

to Run Gas Pressure Monitor xxxx (this refers to the specific version of software that you are

installing) in the message box above If it is not checked and you want it to be then click the check box

(12) To complete the installation click the Finish button in the message box above

After executing the Software Installation procedure detailed above the GPM program is installed on your

computer and the following GPM icon is placed on your desktop

To use the GPM software double-click the GPM icon on your computer desktop

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 17: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 17

Instrument Software Functionality

Color Coding Definitions

The GPM software uses a color coding scheme to help you clearly identify specific conditions within your data As

you review the rest of this document and as you work with your system please keep in mind the following color

coding definitions

A ldquocellrdquo is one element of data within either the Live View table or the

Recording View table See the Screen layout section below for more details

A cell is shaded LIGHT BLUE when the pressure within that Module climbs above the Pressure Release value specified for the respective Module When this happens at the next live interval the

valve briefly opens and vents the gas until the pressure is correct

A cell is shaded ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes of continuous time

A cell is shaded GREEN when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 63 volts or higher

A cell is shaded YELLOW for one of two reasons

(1) the battery voltage for the associated Module is greater than 60 and less than 63 volts or

(2) a Module has re-established communications with the computer after being disconnected for

at least 5 minutes Cells in the Recording View turn from ORANGE to YELLOW when this

happens

A cell is shaded RED when the battery voltage for the associated Module is 60 volts or lower

When no Reference Module Zero is connected the Current Pressure cell in column zero of the Live

View is shaded PINK and displays a pressure of 145 If data recording begins with no Reference

Module Zero connected cells in column zero of the Recording View are shaded PINK and display a

pressure of 145

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 18: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 18 Rev F 101116

Auto Graphing

In addition to capturing the data points for pressure and temperature the GPM software has an Auto Graphing

capability that displays line graphs for the cumulative pressure and absolute temperature for each selected Module

within a study The pressure and temperature graphs can be viewed on separate screens or together on one screen

Examples of these graphs are shown below

Sections of each graph can be enlarged by holding down the left button on the computer mouse and dragging the

cursor over the section of interest

You can also pan to different parts of the graph by holding the center mouse button and dragging the computer

mouse

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 19: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 19

When you right click on any of the graphs the following menu will be displayed

From this menu you have the following options

Copy ndash copies the graph to the clipboard from which it can be pasted into a document

Save Image As ndash saves the graph in a selectable image format

Change background color ndash allows the user to change the background color of the graphs

Change line color ndash allows the user to change the colors of the graph lines

Page Setup ndash allows for modifications to the print configuration

Print ndash prints the graph

Show Point Values ndash allows the user to identify data points when hovering over the graph with the

computer mouse

Un-Zoom ndash returns the graph to the default view if the graph has been enlarged

Undo All ZoomPan ndash returns the graph to the default view if any zooming or panning has occurred

The ldquoSet Scale to Defaultrdquo option has no function within this application

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the

graphs themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore

you can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing

feature within MS-Excel

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 20: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 20 Rev F 101116

Screen layout

The screen below contains all the controls and data associated with the operation of this system In this document

we have added some numbers in RED to the screen image to identify the functions described below These

numbers will NOT show on your computer screen

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

The main screen is divided into 3 sections

Configuration View The Configuration View is on the left side of the GPM screen and it displays the

configurable features of the program Parameters in the Configuration View are saved

when you exit the program

Live View The Live View is at the top of the GPM screen and it displays the current status of the

modules The status will be updated based on the time interval specified in the Live Interval box on the Configuration View

Recording View The Recording View is in the center part of the GPM screen and it displays the data

recorded during the use of the system (tabs numbered 16 ndash 19) along with data graphs

(tabs numbered 20 ndash 22) that are automatically generated to provide the user with a

visual indication of the data being recorded during the gas study The graphs from tabs

20 ndash 22 are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete (See the ldquoAuto

Graphingrdquo section in this manual for further details)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Live View

Recording View Configuration View

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 21: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 21

Following is a description of the individual components displayed on the GPM screen

1 Live Interval ndash This box contains the time gap (in seconds) between each instance of Module-to-computer

communication This interval can contain values up to 60 sec During setup this time frame is usually set

to very short intervals to permit rapid responses to manual commands Longer live intervals are

recommended during studies to preserve battery life

2 Recording Interval ndash This is the time between recordings of the pressure readings Changing this value

has no impact on battery life

For best results the Live Interval should be set so that there are at least 2 Live

Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want to record data

every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2 minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

3 Open Valves ndash When you click this button you open all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a check mark () in each cell of the Valve Open row that has a

live module To preserve battery life the valves will only remain open for 3 minutes

Close Valves ndash When you click this button you close all valves at one time (at the next live interval)

After clicking this button you will see a blank box () in each cell of the Valve Open row

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

4 Global Release ndash The value in this box is used for all modules as the upper threshold value above which

pressure will be automatically released from the system After entering a value click the Set button so the

value is recognized by the system You can still change the value for each individual module if you

desire

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the release pressure to

a value no greater than 1 psi

5 Pressure Units ndash You can select psi or mbar units to apply to the value entered into the Global Release

box and to the values being recorded by the system

Set your Pressure Units before you click the Record button You can NOT

change them while the experiment is running and the system is collecting data

6 Temperature Units ndash You can select Fahrenheit or Celsius

7 Record ndash When you click this button you start recording the pressure and temperature data

Stop ndash When you click this button you stop recording the pressure and temperature data and stop the

study

8 Elapsed Time ndash This box displays the period of time that the system has been recording data

9 Save ndash When you click this button a screen is displayed that says ldquoSaving Experimental Resultsrdquo This

allows you to create an Excel file name and a file location within your computer system for the data on

the spreadsheet to be stored You can save the file any time during the run

The data points in the saved Excel spreadsheet are time-stamped with actual

clock time instead of incremental elapsed time

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 22: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 22 Rev F 101116

10 Autosave location ndash The GPM program automatically stores recorded data at the Autosave location If

the file name in the Autosave location is NOT changed between data recording sessions the file will be

overwritten each time a recording is made

In the Autosave location box you can enter the file location (file pathfile name) where you want the

autosave data stored You can use the Browse button to get you to the file path folder where you want to

store the data file The program will automatically add the file name of AutoSavexls to the file path

that you selected To establish a new file name delete AutoSavexls and type in the new name

including the xls extension

You should change the autosave file name before every run to minimize the

possibility of data loss

11 Valve open time ndash The value you enter in this box controls how long the vent valve remains open in

order to maintain the Pressure Release setting The default value is 250 milliseconds but any value less

than 1000 milliseconds may be entered A smaller value provides more accurate control of the pressure

but takes longer to accommodate a large pressure change Conversely a larger value provides a faster

response but with less accuracy After entering a value click the Set button so the value is recognized by

the system

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

12 Coordinator ndash This displays the status of the Base Coordinator If there is no Base Coordinator

connected then ldquoNot Connectedrdquo is displayed When a Base Coordinator is connected and recognized by

the computer then ldquoConnectedrdquo is displayed

13 Network ndash A network contains 1-computer 1-Base Coordinator and 1-Reference Module Zero You can

have up to 50 Modules on one network If you need more than 50 Modules you will need another

network The new network will have a different network number The number shown on your screen

represents the network whose data is being captured by that computer

14 Version ndash This displays the version of the GPM software that is running

15 Temperature calibration settings ndash When you click this button the following screen is displayed

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 23: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 23

The temperature sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any

Module-to-Module differences in temperature sensing capability you can calibrate each sensor using the

Temperature calibration settings screen The values entered in the cells on this screen are used by the

GPM software to determine the appropriate offsets to apply to each sensor to calibrate them to the

temperature of your standard source

To calibrate your Module sensors follow the steps below

(1) Plug the batteries into the Modules intended for your study

(2) Place the Modules along with a reliable thermometer in the same location and let them

stabilize for a reasonable amount of time

Stabilization times may be different depending on the temperature of the

environment

(3) Start the GPM software

(4) Click the Temperature calibration settings button on the GPM software screen

(5) Type the temperature reading from your stabilized standard thermometer into the cells of the

Modules that you are using for your study

If all of your Modules will be in the same temperature environment you can

enter the temperature from your stabilized standard thermometer in the ldquoAllrdquo box

and click the SET button This will place the same value in all of the cells

(6) Click the APPLY button on the Temperature calibration settings screen to lock in the values

To lock in any changes on the Temperature calibration settings screen including

blanking all of the cells by clicking the Remove calibration values button you

must always apply them

To apply settings you can click the APPLY button or you can click the CLOSE

button and click the YES button on the popup screen

To exit the Temperature calibration settings screen without saving any changes

you can do one of the following

1) Click the CLOSE button and click the NO button on the popup screen

2) Click the in the top right corner of the screen

When you enter values on the Temperature calibration settings screen and apply

them the GPM software generates offset values for the specified Modules These

offsets will be applied to the same Modules for every run until a new calibration

is done Since the calibration settings are associated with Modules and not

specific sensors you should re-calibrate if you remove a temperature sensor from

a Module and install it in a different Module

The Temperature calibration settings can only be changed before the Record

button on the GPM screen has been clicked

16 Cumulative Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the cumulative pressure data for the

times specified by the Recording Interval This is the default data view for the program

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 24: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 24 Rev F 101116

17 Absolute Pressure tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the absolute pressure data for the times

specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 25: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 25

18 Temperature tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the temperature data for the times specified by

the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 26: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 26 Rev F 101116

19 Battery Voltage tab ndash When you click this tab you will see the battery voltage for the battery packs in

each Module for the times specified by the Recording Interval An example of this screen is shown

below

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 27: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 27

20 Cumulative Pressure Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the cumulative

pressure data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in

the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 28: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 28 Rev F 101116

21 Temperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the absolute temperature data

that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graph above represents a study done in ambient conditions without any

temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 29: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 29

22 Cumulative PressureTemperature Graph ndash When you click this tab you will see a line graph of the

absolute temperature data that has been recorded to that point and a line graph of the cumulative pressure

data that has been recorded to that point A Modulersquos graph will only be displayed if its box in the Show Graph Line row is checked An example of this screen is shown below

The graphs above represent a yeast study done with different amounts of yeast

and sugar in each bottle in ambient conditions without any temperature controls

The Auto Graphing capability is meant to provide the user with a visual

indication of the data being recorded during the gas study However the graphs

themselves are NOT automatically stored after the study is complete

To save the graphs from the Auto Graphing feature you can either

(1) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoSave Image Ashelliprdquo or

(2) right click while on the graph screen and select ldquoCopyrdquo or

(3) do a Print Screen

Please note that all of the raw data is stored in MS-Excel format Therefore you

can always recreate a graph from the stored data by using the graphing feature

within MS-Excel

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 30: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 30 Rev F 101116

23 Module Name ndash Cells within this row display the Module identification number or name By default

these cells display numbers To change a cell within the Module Name row highlight the cell and type

The text typed into a Module Name cell does not wrap when the text reaches

the end of the cell Therefore if you type a long name in the cell the column for

that Module will widen and reduce the amount of data that can be viewed on

one screen

This cell becomes ORANGE when the Module has not communicated with the computer for at least 5

minutes An example of an indication of communication loss is shown below

If the Module Name cell turns ORANGE during a run first try unplugging the

battery pack for that Module and plugging it back in This resets the Module

This could result in some missing data points while the reset is occurring

However data captured before and after the reset will remain

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 31: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 31

If a Module that had previously lost communication regains communication the module name cell in the

Recording View turns YELLOW (see below) and remains YELLOW through the rest of the run

24 Valve Open ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () and opens the vent valve

for that specific Module for a maximum of 3 minutes Clicking the cell again removes the check mark

() and closes the specific vent valve This should NOT be done during a study because the computer

will not record any pressure loss during this operation This function allows you to open and close valves

for individual Modules Remember that you can open and close all valves at once by using the Open Valves and Close Valves buttons in the Configuration View

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start the study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

25 Pressure Release ndash Cells in this row display the maximum pressure setting for the respective Module

relative to the Reference Module Zero pressure If pressure within a module climbs above this value the

valve will briefly open and vent the gas at the next live interval The Current Pressure cell will turn

LIGHT BLUE when this occurs The computer automatically accounts for pressure lost during this valve

venting Once the Pressure Release value has been entered on your computer screen press ltTabgt or

ltEntergt on your computer keyboard to activate that Module

The GPM software will not allow a release pressure greater than 10 psi For

18L wide-mouth bottles it is recommended that you set the Pressure Release

to a value no greater than 1 psi

Browse

Version 983

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 32: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 32 Rev F 101116

26 Current Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the current pressure within the bottle relative to the

Reference Module Zero pressure and represents the most recent pressure reading reported during the last

Live Interval A LIGHT BLUE cell indicates that the Current Pressure is above the Pressure Release

threshold

27 Cumulative Pressure ndash Cells in this row display the sum of the incremental changes in pressure for the

specific Module recorded throughout the entire study This pressure is NOT positively or negatively

affected by valve releases that are initiated by the software based on the Pressure Release value that you

entered This pressure is affected by opening and closing individual valves using the Valve Open feature

in the Live View or by opening and closing all valves at once using the Open Valves and Close Valves

buttons in the Configuration View

28 Temperature ndash Cells in this row display the value reported by the temperature sensor in the specific

Module

Since the GPM software cannot determine if a temperature sensor is present or

failing the user should look at each Temperature cell on the GPM screen

before and during a study to make sure that the readings make sense

29 Battery Voltage ndash Cells in this row display the current battery voltage for the specific Module The cell

is GREEN when the voltage is 63 volts or higher YELLOW when the voltage is greater than 60 and

less than 63 volts and RED when the voltage is 60 volts or lower

Although a Module will function at 60 volts it may not have enough power to

consistently operate the valve Therefore before starting a study ensure that

your rechargeable batteries are fully charged to 67 volts or higher

A battery pack can be replaced during a study without loss of functionality

There could be some missing data points during the period when the battery was

being replaced However data captured before and after the battery pack

replacement will remain

30 Show Graph Line ndash Clicking a cell within this row puts a check mark in the box () for that specific

Module Clicking the cell again removes the check mark () The Auto Graphing capability will only

display a graph for a Module that has a check mark () in its cell within this row

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 33: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 33

Temperature Sensing

Each Module comes equipped with a temperature sensor that can monitor the temperature of its environment The

sensors are accurate to within 2degC over a range of 5degC ndash 60degC To account for any Module-to-Module differences

in temperature sensing capability the GPM software provides a calibration screen that can be used before data

recording begins See the Instrument Software Functionality section of this manual for details about calibrating the

temperature sensors

The standard sensor is mounted on the circuit board inside the Module electronics assembly As a result it will not

directly measure the temperature inside of the bottle or the temperature of the material contained within the bottle

However over time the temperatures of the outside environment the inside of the Module electronics assembly

and the inside of the bottle will equilibrate At that time the standard sensor assembly will provide a reasonable

representation of the temperature in the environment outside and inside of the bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 34: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 34 Rev F 101116

This page intentionally left blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 35: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 35

Operating Instructions

To conduct a study with the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System follow the steps below

1 Start your GPM software

On your computer monitor click the GPM icon to start the program If the batteries are plugged into the

Modules the program should display the battery voltage and pressure of each Module Assembly including

the Reference Module Zero (Reference Module Zero measures the ambient pressure and has no Glass Bottle

attached to it)

If Reference Module Zero is not connected a default value of 145 psi is used

for ambient pressure

2 Test that each Module is communicating with the computer

To test communication between the Modules and the computer use the following procedure

21 Connect the Base Coordinator to your computer

22 Plug Battery Packs into each of the Modules you want to test

23 Verify that the GPM software recognizes each Module (your GPM screen will display a battery

voltage for each Module that it recognizes)

3 Clean and sterilize the Modules and Bottles before beginning operation

It should be standard practice after each use to clean the underside of the black module housing with warm

soapy water When this is done it is critical that water not get into the module or the electronics will be

damaged Do not autoclave or submerse the module (even with the lid on) or allow water to enter the gap

around the side vent tube Appendix A should be used for cleaning of the vent valve and tubing as needed

With the modules cleaned it is recommended that they be sterilized with alcohol before use Drying can be

expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC The glass bottles that come with your ANKOM RF Gas

Production System are plastic-coated for safety As such they are not rated for autoclave sterilization As

with the rest of the system do not heat the bottles beyond 60degC Clean the bottles with warm soapy water

Rinse and sterilize with alcohol Drying can be expedited at up to but not exceeding 60degC

4 Test the vent valve operation for each Module

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

You can test vent valve operation by using either Luer Check Valves or the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit To

verify vent valve operation using Luer Check Valves follow the steps below

To open the vent valve click the Valve Open box on your GPM screen so that a

check mark appears in the box () (To preserve battery life the valve will

remain open for a maximum of 90 seconds) To close the vent valve click the

Valve Open box to remove the check mark ()

41 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

42 Press Record on your computer screen to start

recording pressure data

43 Attach a Luer Check Valve to the Luer Port of each

Module you want to test

Luer Check Valve

Luer Cap

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 36: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 36 Rev F 101116

44 Remove the Luer Cap and pressurize each Glass Bottle by applying 6-10 psi to each Modulersquos

Luer Check Valve Verify on the screen that the Modules have pressure Put the Luer Cap back

on the valve

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

45 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes making sure there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

46 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

47 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

48 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

49 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

To verify vent valve operation using the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit follow the steps below

410 On your GPM screen change Live Interval to 1 second and Recording Interval to 1 minute

411 On your GPM screen press Record to start recording pressure data

412 Pull back the plunger on the syringe part of the Vent Valve Cleaning

Kit

413 Attach the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit to the Module you want to test by

gently pushing the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent

valve tube on the side of the housing

414 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

415 Pressurize the Glass Bottle by pushing the syringe plunger While pressurizing click the Valve

Open box on your GPM screen for each Module you are testing to close the valve

416 On your GPM screen verify that the Module has pressure

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi For 18 L wide-mouth bottles never

allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear safety glasses and

appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and Glass Bottles

417 Remove the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit by holding the vent valve tube against the housing with

your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

418 Monitor the pressure for 6-10 minutes ensuring there is not a significant drop in pressure

Small changes from handling and ambient temperatures are normal

419 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to open the

valve

420 Verify that the pressure drops when the vent valve opens for that Module (it should take

between 1-60 seconds to release depending on how many Modules you have connected)

421 Verify that the pressure drops to zero

422 On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for each Module you are testing to close the

valve

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 37: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 37

If a Module is not holding pressure re-apply pressure (using either of the two methods above) and perform

the following checks

423 Place a small amount of soapy water on the end of the vent valve tube If it is leaking clean the

tube using the procedure in Appendix A

424 Place a small amount of soapy water on the Luer Port If it leaks it will need to be replaced

(Luer Port part 7147) To replace the port unscrew it and clean the threads in the housing

Then apply a sealant (eg Locktite 425 or PTFE tape) to the threads on the new port and screw

it into the housing until snug Check for leakage from the threads

425 Check the Glass Bottle seal by either placing it in water just above the connection or by holding

the bottle upside down and looking for bubbles after applying soapy water to threads If leaking

is detected inspect the bottle gasket (part 7074) and replace as needed

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will

occur When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules

with a lid as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead

use bath balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

5 Prepare the Buffer to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Buffer Preparation used in Rumen studies

6 Prepare the Inoculum to be used in your study

See Appendix B for examples of Inoculum Preparation used in Rumen studies

7 Prepare the Sample (substrate) to be used in your study

Depending upon how fermentable the sample is the quantity of sample will vary In addition to the quantity

of fermentable sample the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration The

quantities of sample and buffer may be sufficient for a 24 hour incubation but they may not be sufficient for

a 48 hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the

buffer maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the sample-to-buffer

ratio to fit the desired incubation period

See Appendix B for further information about Samples used in Rumen studies

8 Add Buffer and Inoculum to the Blank to be used in your study

When running a study using the ANKOMRF

Gas Production System corrections must be made for the

following two factors

Gas produced by the inoculum

Gas lost by slight permeability of CO2 through the elastomeric components of the system (in a

pure CO2 environment under 2 psi pressure studies show that the permeability rate is 002 psihr)

Running a blank in your study will correct for both factors

The gas permeability rate of 002 psihr is only a reference This is NOT to be

applied broadly Use the results of your Blank as the correction factor

Place buffer and inoculum in the Glass Bottle used as a Blank

Do NOT use any sample (substrate) in the Glass Bottle used as the Blank

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 38: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 38 Rev F 101116

9 Eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle used as a Blank (ie purge the bottle)

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the Glass Bottle

used as a Blank by following the procedure below

You will need a source of CO2 regulated to 8-10 psi for this procedure

91 After adding inoculum to the Glass Bottle and with it in position to reattach to its Module (when

using wide-mouth bottles with metal clip closures leave the lid slightly open so that it can be

quickly closed) add CO2 directly into the top of the bottle until the CO2 fills the Modulersquos Glass

Bottle This could take about 5 to 30 seconds depending upon the size of the bottle

92 Immediately reattach the Module to the Glass Bottle

93 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open and close

operation

94 On your GPM screen set the Global release to 8 psi and set the Valve open time to 1000 ms

95 Remove the cap from the Luer Port on the Module

96 Holding a CO2 supply against the Luer Port add 8-10 psi of CO2 to the Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(see below) When the pressure exceeds 8 psi the valve will open and begin to release gas

Allow the bottle to sit for 10 seconds allowing time for the gases to equilibrate Set the Global release to zero releasing all pressure within the Glass Bottle Ensure the pressure in the Glass

Bottle is back to 0 02 psi Reset the Global release setting to 8 psi and repeat this step two

more times to thoroughly purge undesired gases from the Glass Bottle

97 Remove turn off the CO2 supply and place the cap on the Luer Port

98 Repeat this procedure for each Module

99 Reset the Live Interval Valve open time and Global release settings on the GPM screen based

on the needs of the experiment

WARNING For 250 ml ndash 1000 ml narrow-mouth bottles never allow the

pressure in the bottles to exceed 10 psi Always regulate incoming purge

pressure down to 10 psi or less before purging bottles For 18 L wide-mouth

bottles never allow the pressure in the bottles to exceed 1 psi Always wear

safety glasses and appropriate lab protection when handling the Modules and

Glass Bottles

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that show

66 volts or lower

Luer Port

Purge Air Gun (part RF28 ndash sold separately)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 39: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 39

10 Add Sample Buffer and Inoculum to all non-Blank Glass Bottles to be used in your study

Place your sample buffer and inoculum into the non-Blank Glass Bottles

11 Eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank Glass Bottles

If you are running a study that includes anaerobic organisms then eliminate the oxygen from the non-Blank

Glass Bottles by following the procedure detailed in step 9 above

12 Configure your GPM software for your study

121 On your GPM screen set the Live Interval duration This is the number of seconds that the

system will wait between each Module-to-computer communication Longer live interval times

increase battery life

122 On your GPM screen set the Recording Interval This is the number of minutes the system will

wait between each data point that gets recorded to the GPM spreadsheet for each Module

For best results it is recommended that the Live Interval be set so that there are

at least 2 Live Intervals for every Recording Interval For example if you want

to record data every 2 minutes you should set the Recording Interval to 2

minutes and the Live Interval to 60 seconds or less

123 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Units

124 On your GPM screen set the Pressure Release value for each Module This is the pressure that

when reached will initiate the opening of the Modulersquos valve during the live period

125 On your GPM screen set the Autosave location file name to establish where you want the

autosave process to store your data

13 Place the Module Assemblies in an incubator or water bath set to the appropriate temperature

Do not allow water into the Module When placing a Module Assembly in

water do NOT allow the water level to reach the vent tube or damage will occur

When using a water bath do NOT cover the bath and the RF modules with a lid

as the trapped humidity will be detrimental to the electronics Instead use bath

balls to cover the surface of the water and control the temperature and

evaporation

14 Start recording data

Before you start recording data replace batteries that show 66 volts or lower

On your GPM screen click Record to start recording your data

15 Stop recording data at the end of the study

On your GPM screen click Stop to stop recording data An Excel spreadsheet will be created with your data

once you enter a file name

If you want to create an Excel file during a run just press the Savehellip button on

the GPM screen The program will continue to run as normal

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 40: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 40 Rev F 101116

Troubleshooting

The ANKOM Technology web site has the most current troubleshooting and replacement parts information

Therefore if you have any questions about the operation of your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System or if you need

replacement parts please visit our web site at wwwankomcom

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 41: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 41

Appendix A ndash Vent Valve Cleaning

Your ANKOMRF

Gas Production System comes with a Vent Valve Cleaning Kit (part RF22) that includes a

syringe and Vent Valve Adapter To clean the vent valve you will need the Vent Valve Cleaning Kit the Module

Assembly and some warm soapy water (see pictures below)

Vent Valve Adapter

Warm soapy water

Vent Valve Cleaning Kit

If the vent valve fails to operate properly it can be cleaned by following the procedure below

(1)

(2)

Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing

Remove the Glass Bottle from the Module

(3) Fill the syringe with warm soapy water

(4)

(5)

Attach the syringe to the end of the Vent Valve Adapter by pushing it into the

Luer fitting and rotating it clockwise

On your GPM screen set the Live Interval to 1 sec to speed up the valve open

and close operation

(6) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box for the Module that requires

cleaning This places a check mark in the box () and opens the valve

Holding the vent valve open may reduce battery voltage Before clicking the

Record button on your GPM screen to start a study replace batteries that

show 66 volts or lower

(7)

(8)

Flush the liquid through the vent valve tube and repeat If the water does not

flow out of the bottom vent port the software may not have opened the valve

If this is the case on your GPM screen click the Valve Open box again to

ensure that the proper Module is selected

Flush a full syringe of warm to hot water through the vent valve tube and

repeat

(9) Follow the rinse with an air flush to clear out the water

(10) On your GPM screen click the Valve Open box to close the vent valve This

removes the check mark from the box ()

(11) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pulling the adapter out

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 42: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 42 Rev F 101116

Appendix B ndash Buffer Inoculum amp Sample prep for Rumen studies

Buffer Goering - Van Soest (see ref 3)

The information contained herein comes from the following paper

Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

To prepare for the study of apparent digestibility within ruminant animals using the Goering ndash Van Soest buffer

follow the procedure below

(1) Maintain all glassware at 39degC

(2) Prepare the following solutions using Distilled Water throughout

Resaruzin 01 (wv) solution

Dissolve 01 g resaruzin into 100 ml H20

In vitro buffer solution In vitro macromineral solution

NH4HCO3 4 g Na2HPO4 anhydrous 57 g

NaHCO3 35 g KH2PO4 anhydrous 62 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water MgSO47 H2O 06 g

Bring volume to 1 L using Distilled Water

In vitro micromineral solution Reducing solution

CaCl22 H2O 132 g CysteinemiddotHCl 6250 mg

MnCl24H20 100 g 1N NaOH 40 ml

CoCl26 H2O 10 g Na2Smiddot9H2O 6250 mg

FeCl36 H2O 80 g Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

Bring volume to 100 ml using Distilled Water

(3) Mix 2 g trypticase with 400 ml of water and 01 ml micromineral solution Agitate to dissolve

(4) Add 200 ml of buffer solution 200 ml of macromineral solution and 1 ml of resaruzin solution to the

solution in step 3 Mix together to create your final buffer solution

(5) Prepare enough buffer solution to support the planned number of Gas Production Modules (80 ml buffer

per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if using different size bottles))

(6) Add sample to each Glass Bottle (1 g per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio if

using different size bottles)

(7) Add buffer to each Glass Bottle used in the run (80 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according

to this ratio if using different size bottles)

(8) Allow the temperature of the Glass Bottle buffer and sample to equilibrate for 20 to 30 minutes at

39degC

(9) Prepare the rumen inoculum while the buffer and sample are equilibrating

(10) To remove O2 from the buffer solution add 2 ml of reducing solution The buffer solution color should

change from a red to colorless

(11) Add rumen inoculum to each bottle (20 ml per 250 ml bottle ndash adjust the amount according to this ratio

if using different size bottles)

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 43: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 43

Buffer Mineral Solution Cone (see ref 4)

Solution grams liter

NaHCO3 875

NH4HCO3 100

Na2HPO4 143

KH2PO4 155

MgSO47H2O 015

Na2S 052

CaCl22 H2O 0017

MnCl24 H2O 0015

CoCl26 H2O 0002

FeCl36 H2O 0012

Resazurin (optional) 0125

Buffer Kansas State (see ref 5)

Mix 20 ml of Solution B with 1000 ml of Solution A and adjust pH to 68 by adding Solution B before each use

Solution A grams liter Solution B grams 100 ml

KH2PO4 100 Na2CO3 150

MgSO47 H2O 05 Na2S9 H2O 10

NaCl 05

CaCl22 H2O 01

Urea (optional) 05

Inoculum Preparation Procedure

(1) Preheat two 2 L thermos bottles by filling with 39degC water

(2) Empty heated water just prior to collection of rumen inoculum

(3) Using the appropriate collection procedure remove 600 to 1000 ml of rumen inoculum and place in

thermos Include approximately two fistfuls of the fibrous mat from the rumen with your collection in

one thermos

(4) Empty the rumen inoculum and fibrous mat from the thermoses into a pre-warmed blender

(5) Purge the blender container with CO2 gas and blend at a high speed for 30 seconds The blending action

serves to dislodge microbes that are attached to the mat and assure a representative microbial population

for the fermentation

(6) Filter the blended digesta through 4 layers of cheesecloth into a pre-heated (39degC) flask NOTE Allow

for extra cheesecloth around the edges to facilitate squeezing contents of filtered mat

(7) The flask should be continually purged with CO2 before and after the transfer of the inoculum

(8) Be careful to maintain temperature to minimize cold shock of the microorganisms

(9) Add the 20 ml of inoculum to the equilibrated buffer solution and sample in each Modulersquos Glass Bottle

(10) Purge the Glass Bottle with CO2 gas for 30 seconds A purge system can be purchased from ANKOM

Technology which allows the purging to be accomplished in a closed Module If you donrsquot have an

ANKOM purge system then remove the Glass Bottle and allow CO2 to flow into it

(11) Repeat process for all Glass Bottles to be used

Do not allow CO2 gas to bubble through the buffered inoculum Instead use the

CO2 to form a gaseous blanket over the contents of the Glass Bottle

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 44: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 44 Rev F 101116

Sample Preparation

The quantity of sample (substrate) to add to the Module will vary from 1g for a forage sample with minimal

fermentable substrate to 025 g for a highly fermentable substrate such as a high starch diet In addition to the

quantity of fermentable substrate the length of time the incubation is conducted must be taken into consideration

The quantities of substrate and buffer may be sufficient for 24 hour incubation but may not be sufficient for a 48

hour incubation By measuring the pH at the end of the incubation period you can determine if the buffer

maintained the proper pH throughout the incubation This will allow you to alter the substrate-to-buffer ratio to fit

the desired incubation period

References

1 Theodorou MK Lowman RS Davies ZSCuddleford D and Owen E 1998 Principles of

techniques that rely on gas measurement in ruminant nutrition Occasional Publication No 22 British

Society of Animal Science p 55

2 Pell AN Pitt RE Doane PH and Schofield P 1998 The development use and application of gas

production technique at Cornell University USA p45

3 Goering HK and Van Soest PJ 1970 Forage fiber analysis (apparatus reagents procedures and some

applications) Agricultural Handbook No 379 ARS-USDA Washington DC

4 Cone JW 1998 The development use and application of he gas production technique at the DLO

Institute for Animal Science and Health (IO-DOL) Lelystad The Netherlands Occasional Publication

No 22 British Society of Animal Science p 65

5 Marten GC and Barnes RF 1980 Prediction of Energy Digestibility of Forages with In Vitro Rumen

Fermentation and Fungal Enzyme Systems in Standardization of analytical methodology for feeds

Proceedings of a workshop held in Ottawa Canada 12-14 March 1979 Ottawa Ont IDRC

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 45: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 45

Appendix C ndash Head Space Analysis

The collection of gas for Head Space Analysis can be done through the septa port on the glass bottle shown below

using a gas-tight syringe

Septa Port

Liquid can also be sampled through this port by rotating the bottle and allowing the liquid into the port area Glass

bottles with septa ports can be ordered separately

If gas or liquid are removed through the septa port the computer will see it as a

loss in pressure

It is also possible to collect a gas sample through the vent valve using the adapter provided with the Vent Valve

Cleaning Kit (part RF22) Additional Vent Valve Adapters (part RF225) can be purchased separately

Vent Valve Adapter

To collect gas from the vent valve execute the following procedure

(1) Gently push the barbed end of the Vent Valve Adapter into the vent valve tube

on the side of the housing The adapter comes standard with a female Luer

thread for connection to a gas tight syringe

(2) Plug your syringe into the Vent Valve Adapter

(3) Pull the plunger out to create a vacuum

(4) On your GPM screen change the Live Interval to 1

(5) On your GPM screen enter a Pressure Release value that is lower than the

bottlersquos current pressure

(6) Once the pressure release value has been entered in the cell on the computer

screen press ltTabgt or ltEntergt on your keyboard to activate that Module Do

not check the Valve Open box The valve will open to release pressure and the

gas will flow into the syringe Depending on the gas volume to be removed it

is possible the valve may cycle several times

(7) Remove the Vent Valve Adapter by holding the vent valve tube against the

housing with your finger (to avoid stretching it) and pull the adapter out

(8) When you have removed the gas that you want on your GPM screen set the

Pressure Release value back to its original setting

If gas is removed through the vent valve the computer will NOT see it as a loss

in pressure

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 46: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

pg 46 Rev F 101116

Appendix D ndash Conversion of Pressure to Gas Production

Calculation of Gas Produced in ml at 39degC with pressure measured in psi

The ANKOMRF

Gas Production System is configurable to allow for gas pressure measurements in either psi or

mbar units For the purposes of this discussion we will refer to gas pressure measurements in psi

The gas pressure measured during your study can be converted to moles of gas produced using the lsquoidealrsquo gas

law and then converted to milliliters (ml) of gas produced using Avogadrorsquos law

lsquoIdealrsquo gas law

n = p (V RT)

Where n = gas produced in moles (mol) p = pressure in kilopascal (kPa) V = head-space volume in the Glass Bottle in Liters (L) T = temperature in Kelvin (K) R = gas constant (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1)

Avogadrorsquos law

Using Avogadrorsquos Law at atmospheric pressure measured in psi (1 psi = 6894757293 kilopascal) 1 mole will

occupy 224 L at 27315degK and 101325 kPa (standard conditions) Therefore gas measured in moles can be

converted to gas measured in ml as follows

gas produced in ml = n x 224 x 1000

ANKOMRF Gas Production System ndash Glass Bottle Volume Capacity

The actual volume capacity of each glass bottle is greater than its rated volume capacity Therefore use the

following Actual Volume Capacity for the specific bottle used in your study

Rated Volume Capacity (ml) Actual Volume Capacity (ml)

250 310

500 620

1000 1140

1800 1870

Example

The Cumulative Pressure measured by the ANKOMRF Gas Production System is 10 psi at 39degC The Glass Bottle in the study is rated at 250 ml (actual volume capacity is 310 ml) The samplesolutionbuffer uses 150 ml of the Glass Bottle The head-space volume in the Glass Bottle is 310 ml - 150 ml = 160 ml = 016 L

p = 10 psi x 6894757293 kPa = 6894757293 kPa V = 016 L R = 8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 T = 273degK + 39degC = 312degK

n = p (V RT) n = 6894757293 kPa x [016 L (8314472 LkPaK-1mol-1 x 312degK)] n = 0004252553 mol

gas produced in ml = 0004252553 mol x 224 Lmol x 1000 mlL gas produced in ml = 9525717874 ml

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 47: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Operatorrsquos Manual

Rev F 101116 pg 47

Appendix E ndash Base Coordinator Specifications

The Base Coordinator is a Radio Frequency (RF) modem that allows each Module to remotely communicate with

your computer

Performance Power Output 60 mW (18 dBm) 100 mW

OutdoorRF Line of Sight Range up to 1mile

(16km)

RF Data Rate 250000 bps

Operating Frequency 24 GHz Receiver

Sensitivity -100 dBm

Temperature Rating 0 ndash 70deg C

Frequency Band 24000 - 24835 GHz

Networking Spread Spectrum Type DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) Networking Topology Peer-to-peer point-to-point amp point-to-multipoint

Error Handling Retries amp acknowledgements

Power Supply Voltage USB bus power

Transmit Current 300 mA

Receive Current 90 mAv

Physical Properties Size 450 x 275 x 1125 (114 cm x 70 cm x 29 cm)

Weight 525 oz (150 g)

Antenna Options RPSMA

Operating Temperature 0 to 70deg C

Certifications United States (FCC) OUR-XBEEPRO

Canada (IC) 4214A-XBEEPRO

Europe (CE) ETSI

Australia Approved

Japan (MIC) R 201 WW 08215111

Class I Division 2

Operating in Europe XBee Modems will be configured to operate at a maximum TX power output level of 10 dBm (power level is set

using AT commands) Additionally European regulations stipulate an EIRP power maximum of 1286 dBm

(19mW)

LED colors Yellow (top LED) = Serial Data Out

Green (middle) = Serial Data In

Red (bottom) = Power Indicator

RSSI LED patterns 3 LEDs On = Very Strong Signal

2 LEDs On = Strong Signal

1 LEDs On = Moderate Signal

0 LEDs On = Weak Signal

Dip Switch Reset Switch

Antenna USB

Port

LEDs Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Dip Switch Reset Switch

USB

Port

LEDs

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom

Page 48: Operator's Manual - ankom.com

Automation saves time and money

ANKOM Technology is an international company with products that includehellip

TDF Dietary Fiber Analyzer

Automates AOAC 99143200901201125 AACC 32-070132-4501

IDFSDF and TDF values

Faster Technician-free Filtering Computer controlled operation Reduced per assay costs

A2000 Fiber Analyzer

Crude Fiber (AOCS Ba 6a-05) ADF NDF

Automatically adds solutions and rinses

Batch process - up to 24 samples at one time

XT15 Fat Extractor

Official Method AOCS Am 5-04

Fully automatic

Solvent recovery at 97 or greater

Batch process - up to 15 samples at one time

RF Gas Production System

High sensitivity pressure measurement

Applications include Ruminant Nutrition Human Digestion Yeast Activity

BeerWine Fermentation Biomass-to-Energy analysis (eg Ethanol)

Biodegradability Soil respiration BOD etc

Wireless Computer control and data storage

Chemicals

A wide variety of chemicals used for many different lab operations

Pre-mixed solutions available

Please visit our web site at wwwankomcom for more information

2052 OrsquoNeil Rd Macedon NY 14502 Telephone (315) 986-8090 Fax (315) 986-8091 wwwankomcom